Eyes In Darkness

Chapter 10

I wake to the soft sound of crying, the kind that tugs at your heart before your brain even fully wakes. It's past midnight, and the noise is coming from the boys' room.

I slide quietly out of bed, not realizing Riddick's eyes are already open, tracking my every move in the dim light.

When I step into the room, I find Ali sitting up in bed, tiny fists rubbing at tear-streaked cheeks. "Hey, sweetheart," I whisper, kneeling beside him. "What's wrong?"

He sniffles, trying to speak through the hiccups. "'Scared."

I scoop him up, holding him close against my chest, rocking him gently until his breathing evens out. I don't even notice the shadow leaning in the doorway until a low voice murmurs, "He can sleep in bed with us."

I jump slightly, turning toward Riddick's silhouette. His tone isn't gruff this time—it's softer, like a quiet offer instead of a command. I nod, brushing Ali's hair back before checking on Jack, who's still asleep, sprawled halfway out of his blanket.

Carrying Ali back to our room, I settle onto the bed again. Riddick slides in behind us without a word, one arm coming around to rest over both of us. The heat from his body seeps through the thin fabric of my shirt, grounding me. Ali's little hand curls into my collar, and I feel the rise and fall of Riddick's chest behind me.

That steady rhythm—the mix of strength and quiet safety—makes it easy to let my guard down.

Just as sleep starts to pull me under, I hear the soft creak of the door.

"Can I sleep here too?" Jack's small voice breaks through the dark.

I nod and shift closer to Riddick to make space. Jack climbs in on my other side, curling against me without hesitation. His hair smells faintly of dust and soap.

I look between them—Jack tucked under one arm, Ali snuggled against my chest, and Riddick solid and unmoving at my back. For the first time in a long while, I feel surrounded by something that feels like family.

My hand rests lightly over Jack's shoulder, my back pressed to Riddick's warmth. Before my eyes close, I decide I'll talk to Jack about coming with me when we finally leave this planet.

Because somewhere between surviving and holding these boys close, this stopped feeling temporary. The next time I wake, it's to the steady weight of Riddick's arm around me. His head is tucked against the back of my neck, warm breath brushing my skin with every exhale. Somewhere during the night, Ali and Jack have both managed to snuggle even closer—one pressed against my chest, the other half-draped across my legs like a sleepy little guard.

For a long moment, I just lie there, letting the peace settle in. It's strange, how safe I feel.

Then I hear it—soft movement out in the hallway. Bare footsteps, maybe, or someone shifting around too close to our door.

Before I can even process what's happening, Riddick is already up. He moves like a shadow, silent and fast, the air in the room shifting with him. The door swings open, and there stands Johns—looking strung out, hair a mess, pupils blown wide.

He blinks at the sight of Riddick standing there shirtless, every inch the wrong man in what Johns clearly thought was his own room.

Riddick doesn't even flinch. "Wrong room," he says flatly, and shuts the door right in Johns's face.

I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud, burying my face against the pillow. Still, I catch the slight tilt of Riddick's mouth as he turns back, that faint smirk giving him away. He's still tense—ready, watchful—but that hint of amusement softens the edge.

I let out a quiet chuckle and whisper, "You're terrible."

He glances over his shoulder, eyes glinting. "You love it."

And the truth is... I kind of do. Morning comes slower than I expect. For once, there's no panic, no shouting Riddick is already awake, sitting at the edge of the bed pulling on his boots. He glances back at me, and there's that quiet understanding between us again—unspoken, but solid.

I stretch carefully, not wanting to wake the boys just yet. Ali's small hand is still clutching my shirt, and Jack's head rests against my shoulder. They look so peaceful it almost hurts to disturb them.

But time doesn't wait for anyone, not even for moments like this.

"Hey," I whisper softly, brushing Jack's hair out of his face. "Time to get up, bud."

He groans, burying his face against my side before blinking up at me, bleary-eyed. "Already?"

"Yeah. We've got to get moving."

Riddick's low voice joins mine. "Come on, kid. The sooner we move, the sooner we're off this rock."

That earns a sleepy grin from Jack. Ali stirs next, rubbing his eyes with tiny fists before I lift him into my lap. He blinks around the room, confused for a second, then settles when he spots Riddick.

"Morning," I say, smiling softly as Riddick moves past us to check the bags near the door. "You okay?"

He nods once, focused but calm. "Yeah. Just making sure we're ready."

The boys slowly wake, Jack helping me pack the few things we have while Ali clings to my side. Every so often, I catch Riddick watching us—his gaze steady, protective.

There's something about it that feels... different now. Like last night shifted something he didn't even mean to show.

When everything's ready, I take one last look around the room. The bed's still warm, the space filled with the faint echo of laughter and safety that feels rare out here.

"Ready?" Riddick asks, voice low.

I nod, squeezing Jack's hand and adjusting Ali on my hip. "Yeah. Let's go." We step out into the narrow corridor. The others are already awake, moving with that same quiet urgency. Everyone's eyes are tired but alert. After double-checking the gear and the exit routes, we start wrapping the blue emergency lights around ourselves—thin cords glowing with just enough light to ward off the creatures lurking in the dark.

Riddick doesn't take any of the lights. He hates how they mess with his eyes. Instead, he clips dim lamps along the back of his vest—enough to push the shadows back, but not blind him. The faint halo of blue around him makes him look almost otherworldly, a guardian cut from the dark itself.

"Stay close," he says, his voice low but firm.

I nod, Jack holding my hand tighter, Ali pressing against my shoulder.

In the hollow silence of the ship, the lights cast moving circles against the walls—small pockets of safety surrounded by endless black. And as Riddick steps forward to lead us through it, I realize something I didn't before:
He's not just protecting us.
He's already ours.